Tubular x-ray diaphragm



June 26, 1951 J. A. LELY ET AL 2,558,492

lTUBULAR x-RAY DIAPHRAGM Filed oc't. 20, 1948 AGE/VT Patented June 26, -1951 TUBIJLAR X-RAY DIAPHRAGM JanfAnthony` Lely and Tijs Willem van Rijssel, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignors to Hartford National Bank and Trust Company, Hartford,

Conn., as trustee Application October 20, 1948, Serial No. 55,466 In the Netherlands November 26, 1947 lr For analysing definite substances with the use of denition of X-rays by solid. substances, it is important toobserve very small-'deflection angles, i. e. the range below from 2 to 3. For radiation at a wavelength of 1.54 A. (copper target as commonly used in crystal testing, this involves lattice-plane spacings exceedingk from 30 to 40 A. In normall crystals these. large crystallographic plane spacings do not occur but it is'knownthat albumens may exhibitspacings of from 500 to 1000v The range-'scattering at small angles has also been found important for ascertaining the granular size of various materials, for example cellulose, rubber and nely powdered sub-v stances.

Researches ofv thisl kind require very fine beams of X-rays. From the known deflection formula` 2d sin a=k for very 'small angles, may be written as d sin 2a=kA it followsthat at k=1.54 and d=600 sin 2a-f2.5 103, which corresponds to 2a=8.5. Hence the divergence of the primary beam must not exceed `l relatively to the centre line if the deflected. rays are'to be keptseparated from the primary beam.

It is known to isolate ne beams by using plateshaped diaphragms, of which, as a rule, two are arranged `in succession with some spacing. VThe scattered radiation occurring at the edges ofthe apertures in these diaphragms render the use of a third circumscribing member. desirable in order that these scattered radiationv may be retained. The narrower the beam is desired to be the smaller must be chosen the-diaphragm apertures with the result that theintensity is lower', so that very long exposure times areI required. When using such a combination of diaphragms it is not in the first place the neness of the primary'beam but the angle at which the scattered radiation emanates from the directional member, for which the above mentioned size must be considered, which involves a reduction in size of the" apertures relatively to the size they mig-ht have inthe absence of scattered radiation. The embodiment comprising plate-'shaped diaphragms requires great accuracy and positioning of the secondary ray collector is particularly important, since the latter must be as narrow as' possible but must not intercept primary radiation since the latter would again lead to the production of scattered rays.

By utilizing the property, that at small angles 5f Claims. (Cl. Z50-105) sov have appreciably higher intensity. These reflection channels have a disadvantage in that the divergence of the beam is determined by the limit angle of the total reflection. The natural divergence resulting therefrom is higher than is permissible for the aforesaid researches, In or'- der to achieve satisfactory results, provision would consequently have to be made at the entry side of the reflection channel of a further device for realizing a beam of very small divergence, and this completely annuls the advantages ofv the channel. l

The invention relates to a limit diaphragm; with thel use of which a narrow beam is realized by total reflection of the X-rays. An object of the invention is to reduce the divergence of the beam while maintaining the `advantages of the' known device. According to the invention, the entry port of the deflection channel and the exit port are of different size, so that the channel becomes conical or wedge-like and exhibits -a length such that those X-rays of a beam entering the smallest port which enter the deflection chan--` nel at an angle equal to the limit angle are reflected once or several times of the tube-wall material.

In such a channel, the angle'at which the X-Vv rays are with the axis becomes smaller after each reflection, so that, if the number ofreiiection is sufliciently large, practically any desired smaller divergence of the emanating beam may be realized.

For the wall of the reflection channel use is preferablyy made of material', the atoms of which are not liable to emit secondary radiation under the action of incident X-rays. Since, however, radiation of greater wavelength is absorbed to a greater extent it can be retained with the use of a metal filter and the wall material may be constituted by substances, the natural radiation of which has a large wavelength as compared with the primary radiation. The operations to which the wall of the channel must be subjected so as to obtain the glass required for total reilection may be responsible for penetration of metal atoms into the surface. When polishing, care should therefore be taken that the polish- `ing powder does not contain metal atoms which,

on being struck by X-rays, have a natural radia-` A further source of harmful radiation with a.

reflection 4channel is attentuatedautomatically. The spectrum of a radiation produced in an X-ray tube and originating from a given metal exhibits a maximum of intensity for radiation of a given Wavelength but in addition appreciable intensities in a number of ranges of shorter wavelengths. For these shorter wavelengths the limit angle at which the wall surface must be struck in order that the rays may just be reflected decreases approximately in proportion to the wave length. The radiation of shorter wavelengths is thus withdrawn to a large extent from the reected beam, so that upon reiection the beam of rays exhibits more the pattern of a monochromatic beam.

Limiting diaphragms for the passage of a narrow beam of X-rays of low divergence are particularly suitable for use -in apparatus for testing the structure of substances and the invention also relates to such an apparatus for testing substances the lattice-plane spacings of which exceed 100 In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect, it will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing.

For illustrating the advantages of the invention, the various systems will be compared hereinafter.

Fig. 1 shows how beam limiting is effected by apertured discs of material absorbing X-rays, which discs are arranged in succession with some spacing.

Fig. 2 shows a beam channel, in which use is made of the total reflection of the X-rays and in which entry and exit ports are of equal size whereas Fig. 3 shows a beam channel according to the invention.

'I'he angle at which a beam of X-rays on passing through the article to be tested must be deected in order to bring about distinct blackening of the recording film, should be such as to cause the point of impact to fall outside the range blackened by the undeected rays. The dilraction image obtained from the article to be tested exhibits natural dimensions which are a reflection of those of the primary beam, since upon diffraction in principle, the primary beam is reproduced. According to Fig. 1 the latter has a divergence qu.

Allowing for the scattered radiation occurring at the edges of the apertures in the thin diaphragms, provision is made not only of these diaphragms A and B but also of a plate C, which exhibits a larger aperture than A and B so as to allow the radiation issuing from the X-ray tube to passl without obstruction. The edge of the aperture in B serves as a limiter of this radiation and -is a source of scattered radiation. The divergence of this radiation is determined by the width of the aperture in C. The spacings between the plates A-B and B-C are assumed to be equal, so that the divergence of the scattered radiation is 2q: and the aperture in C is three times as large as in A and B. The intensity of the scattered radiation, although only about 1% of that of the primary beam, is su'icient to cause the unrefracted secondary rays to produce a blackening of the recording material which is appreciable y,compared with that of the diiraction images. However, the deflected secondary rays are weakened to such an extent that the deection image reveals substantially nothing thereof. On the basis of these considerations it is suicient if the direct secondary rays do not occur in the diffraction image and this permits a dilfraction 4 image of the primary beam to be separately observed, if the deflection of the rays takes place through an angle of at least Bqa.

According to the known formula d sin 2a=)\, for determining lattice-plane spacings of 1000 530 350 and 265 the deflection angles are 5', 10', 15 and 20' respectively if use is made of X-rays of a wave-length \=1.54 emanating from an X-ray tube in which a copper target serves as the source of rays, the permissible divergence qa for the primary radiation being consequently 12/3, 31/3, 5 and 62/3' maximum respectively, and the angle within which stray radiation is allowed to occur not exceeding 31/3 62/3, 10' and 13%.

With the reflection channel shown in Fig. 2 there is produced around a beam emanating from the channel with a divergence qu, as a result of various effects, also a scattered radiation, which, as in the case of Fig. 1, constitutes the limit, to which an image projected by the deflected radiation is allowed to approach the primary radiation in order that it may be discerned. The angle at which this separation is viewed from the exit port of the beam channel is found to be smaller than twice the angle of divergence of the primary radiation, so that in this respect conditions are slightly more favourable than in the case of Fig. 1.

With the beam channel shown in Fig. 2, as in the device shown in Fig. 1, the divergence of the beam on the entry side and that on the exit side are equal. Consequently, in this respect replacement of the plates A, B and C by a beam channel does not yield any improvement. The desired divergence are materially smaller than the limit angle at which incident radiation is just reected at the surface. In order to realize the said small divergence it will be necessary to use the reection channel in conjunction with measures operative to cut off rays of greater divergence, for example, with the system shown in Fig. 1, but it is obvious that in this case not a single advantage is realized. Consequently, the embodiment shown in Fig` 2 is not expedient to -produce X-ray beams the divergence of which is smaller than the limit angle at which the material used reects X-rays.

In contradistinction to this, the device according to the invention, which is shown in Fig. 3, presents an advantage with respect to the divergence in that, after each reection, the divergence becomes smaller by an angle 2,3, denoting the angle at which the reilecting walls of the channel are with the axis,

Fig. 3 illustrates the case wherein different rays enter the channel just along the edge of the aperture d1. The ray falling just along the edge of the aperture and leaving the channel without being reected from the wall enters the channel at an angle il with the axis and, hence, leaves the channel at the same angle. No ray can leave the channel at a larger angle with the axis. The length l of the channel is then dened by the equation:

l: d1+d2 2 tall Utz tion, so that the divergenceofthe beam emanating from the channel would be-azwZ. This means that the ray may enter the. channel at an angle of a2|2 to obtain the same divergence -az of the beam at the Yexit side. -Such a ray falling just along the edge of the aperture d1, and after one lreflection leaves the channel lwithout further reflection enters the channel at an angle a1 with theaxis.

A suitable choice of the angle and length of the channel is possible to produce a beam of any divergence having an angle of aperture smaller than the limit angle. If, for example, a ray enters the channel just along the edge of the aperture d1 at an angle an with the channel axis which is equal to thev limit angle, kS0 that the ray strikes the opposite wall of the channel and is reflected three times, the divergence of the beam emanating from the channel is izo-6s at an angle ao=2n the divergence has become zero after `11. reflections. At an angle ya: (2n-F1) the divergence is after n reflections. If the length of the channel is sufficient, the divergence, consequently, need not exceed ,8, but if, for this purpose, the channel should become excessively long, the divergence can nevertheless be reduced to 35 by omitting one reflection.

Thus, for example, in the embodiment shown, in which (21H-1) ao 2n, the number of possible reflections 11:4, but only three of them are used, so that the divergence of the emanating beam is comprised between 2e and 3/3, whereas the initial beam divergence is comprised between S and 9p.

For obtaining beams of small divergence suitable for the analysis concerned, the entry port will not be made larger than half the size of the eXit port in order to keep the length of the channel within adequate limits.

Also as far as the intensity of the beam is concerned the results obtained with the device according to the invention is more favourable than with a channel in which the beam is limited by plate-shaped diaphragms.

A particular advantage of the device according to the invention resides in the easy adjustability relatively to the source of rays. In the system comprising perforated screens the axis must be accurately directed towards the source of rays, that is to say that it must be possible for the source of rays to be viewed from all points of the aperture in C. The collimator will be arranged in such manner that the entire focus is embraced, because the energy supplied by the focus is thus used to the optimum. Even a small deviation from the correct position consequently involves loss of rays. Such deviations may be due even to vibrations, so that during the arrangement considerable precautions have to be taken.

With the reiiection channel careful watch has to be kept in particular to see that the entry port is correctly positioned relatively to the source of rays. The adjustment is then effected by turning the channel about the point of intersection of the axis with the plane of this aperture until the brightness of a screen arranged on the exit side and struck by the emanating beam has a maximum value. The adjustment is considerably less critical and may thus be effected in a simple manner.

Fig. 4 shows a slot-shaped beam channel built up in a simple manner. Two glass plates I and and II, each of Which has an accurately polished edge are arranged on a substratum, the said edges facing one another. By arranging at one en d between the plates a metal strip having exactly theV thickness which corresponds to the width of the entry port and by arranging on the exit side a strip, the thickness of which corresponds to the Width of the exit aperture, the glass plates together with the bottom layer III and a top layer IV to be provided may be united to form a single unit, use being made of a suitable adhesive. On removal of the spacing strips the beam channel is completed.

Similarly, by using four or more unilaterally polished plates it is possible toobtain an arrangement for a many-sided beam channel.

What we claim is:

1'. A diaphragm for limiting the divergence o an X-ray beam comprising a tubular channel member having an entry aperture with a given cross-sectional dimension and an exit aperture having a cross-sectional dimension greater than the said cross-sectional dimension of said entry aperture and reflecting internal walls, the channel having uniformly convergent walls and having a length at which those rays lof a beam of X-rays which enter the aperture having the smaller cross-sectional dimension at an angle equal to the limit angle of reflection from the tube wall are reflected at least once from the wall of the channel.

2. A diaphragm for limiting the divergence of an X-ray beam comprisinag a tubular channel member having an entry port and an exit port and reflecting internal Walls, the entry and exit ports having respective cross-sectional dimensions designated di and d2 which differ from one another, the channel having a length Z defined by the equation:

l: d1+d2 2 tan a2 l: dl+d2 2 tain (X2 in which a2 is the angle which limits the greatest possible divergence the beam can have.

4. A diaphragm for limiting the divergence of an X-ray beam comprising a tubular channel member having an entry port and an eXit port and having internally reflecting Walls, the entry and exit ports having respective cross-sectional dimensions designated d1 and d2, the dimension di being smaller than one-half of d2, the channel having a length l defined by the equation:

l: dl'i-dZ 2 tan a2 in which a2 is the angle which limits the greatest possible divergence the beam can have.

5. A diaphragm for limiting the divergence of an X-ray beam comprising a tubular channel member of glass having an entry port and an exit port, the entry and exit ports having re- JAN ANTHONY LELY. TIJ S WILLEM VAN RIJSSEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the `file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Coolidge Sept. 21, 1926 Number Number Name Date 1,865,441 Mutscheller July 5, 1932 1,993,058 Hahn Mar. 5, 1935 2,331,586 Waisco Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 506,022 Great Britain May 22, 1939 601,545 France Dec. 1, 1925 OTHER REFERENCES X-Ray Diiraction Camera for Microtechniques, by P. Chesley, R. S. I., June 1947, page 422. Structure of Metals, Barrett. 1943 edition, ps. 117-118.

X-Rays and Electrons, by A. H. Compton, D. Van Nostrand Co.. 1926, pages 36, 37, 215, 216, 217. 

